Graveside services for Edward Ward Jones, 92, of Livingston, Texas, will be held Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. in the Jones Prairie Cemetery in Leggett, Texas with Rev. Kevan Wood officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the service begins at 10:00 p.m. in the cemetery.

Edward Ward Jones was born January 21, 1929 in the old Bergman Hospital in Livingston, Texas, the son of Edward Ward Jones and Hazle Allen Jones. He died on the 5th of May, 2021 at Pine Ridge Health Center at the age of 92. Except for four years as a child when the family  had to move to his Grandfather Allen's sheep and goat ranch in Williamson County, Texas to tend to the livestock after his grandparent's death and his time away in college and military service, Ward was a lifelong resident of Polk County, Texas. As a young boy, Ward helped his father build small houses for sale or rent and take care of 70 head of commercial cattle.

At the age of 16, Ward volunteered for the World War II Texas State Guard where he served before the unit was demobilized. This training helped him when he later volunteered to serve in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He served his country in an Air Force blue uniform for a total of 14 years in active and reserve duties.

After his discharge he returned to Livingston two weeks too late to re-enroll in law school for the fall semester. He was hired to teach in the Livingston High School the rest of the fall semester. It was a fun and rewarding time. He met a new teacher who later became his wife and they remained happily married for the balance of his life. They became parents to two children, Mary Elizabeth and Edward Ward, Jr.

Ward enrolled in the 1954 spring semester law school classes. He was elected President of his Law School fraternity, served as Managing Editor of the law school newspaper for two years and served as chairman of one of the major committees in his senior year Law Day Celebration. He passed the Texas Bar Association test in the fall of 1955 and was sworn in as a Texas lawyer in January, 1956. This degree was years later retroactively up graded to Doctor of Jurisprudence.

The day he graduated, he returned to Livingston in January, 1956. After practicing law for the rest of the year, he decided to run for the office of Criminal District Attorney of Polk County. He was elected for a two years term, then re-elected for a four years term in 1958. He served in that office for 4 ½ years, resigned and resumed private practice. He obtained a Texas Real Estate Broker's License and combined real estate brokerage and property investment business with his law practice. He was hired by Livingston Abstract Company to examine titles to property sought to be protected by title insurance and became the agent of Stewart Title Guaranty Company. He invented one special exception and provision to be placed in Texas   title insurance policies now in state wide use called "the visible and apparent easement" exception. He later purchased Livingston Abstract Company and owned it for several years.

Ward did his best to participate in and help his community.  In 1956, he joined his father as a member of the Livingston Rotary Club and remained active in it until his health no longer permitted.  He was elected the Livingston Rotary Club president in 1960 and Rotary International twice granted him the Paul Harris Fellowship Award for club and community service.  Rotary International District 5910 elected him to its Roll of Fame.  He served as commander of Hale-Sellers Post 312 of the America Legion in Livingston and until recent years remained a member.  He is a past board member and President of The Murphy Memorial Library Board of Trustees, past president of The Livingston Country Club, he coached his son's Little League and Little Dribblers teams, and was the past president of the Polk County Bar Association.  While in high school, Ward became an Eagle Scout and later served on the Area Council for Scouting in this part of Texas.  He was a Scottish Rite mason and a member of Trinity Masonic Lodge No. 14 in Livingston.  He was appointed Government Appeals Attorney for the local Draft Board No. 102 in Polk County by three different Presidents of the United States.  He is a past Board Member of the Polk County Chamber of Commerce and was elected 2019 Polk Countian of the Year by the Chamber.  Ward was a life-long member of Central Baptist Church.  He spent a number of years researching, writing, and publishing a 488 page book on his Jones Family History and Genealogy.

For those of you who knew Ward, you will understand this… He's doing better than "tolerably well" in Heaven right now!

Ward was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Mary Hazel Landers, and son, Edward Ward Jones, Jr.  He is survived by his wife, Billie; his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Wood and husband, Kevan; six grandchildren, Eric Wood and wife, Sarah, Stephen Wood and wife, Christina, Kristin Greening and husband, Jarrod, Brandi Brock, Edward Ward Jones V and Lisa, and Misty Britton and husband, Jason.  He was blessed with 12 great-grandchildren, Eli, Cylas, Luke, Indigo, Gauge, Roper, Ana, Owen, Emersyn, Carlee, Mya, and Edward Ward Jones VI.

In lieu of flower, donations may be made to Central Baptist Church in Livingston, Texas or to the charity of your choice.